PHOTO: Aeration pool at PAWSD’s Lyn Avenue wastewater treatment plant.
Disclosure: I currently serve on the Board of Directors for Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD) but I’m not speaking for the Board here, but sharing only my own opinions.
At the Thursday, September 14 meeting of the PAWSD Board at their offices on Lyn Avenue, Board President Jim Smith offered a response to some critical comments provided by San Juan Water Conservancy District (SJWCD) Board member Candace Jones (speaking for herself, not representing her Board.)
Ms. Jones had expressed her disappointment that the PAWSD Board had not yet approved the lease with Archuleta County, wherein the County would build, maintain and supervise a recreational river access facility on 20 acres of riverfront property that was jointly purchased by PAWSD and SJWCD in 2008, as part of the Running Iron Ranch purchase. She also questioned whether PAWSD was competent to build and operate employee housing on the Running Iron Ranch.
As mentioned previously in this editorial series, a recreational facility in that location would serve, very conveniently, a proposed $2 million “river enhancement project” being promoted by SJWCD Board President Al Pfister and the Watershed Enhancement Partnership.
I am personally pleased that our local government boards allow members of the public to share testimony and criticisms, as part of their regular public meetings. A healthy debate is good for the democratic process.
In response to Ms. Jones, PAWSD Board President Jim Smith offered his own comments, addressing the reluctance of the PAWSD Board to approve a proposed lease from Archuleta County, and also addressing her comments questioning PAWSD’s capability to undertake housing projects on the 20 acres.
“A couple of things I’d like to mention. Number one, the lease presented by the County was not complete. And our lawyers and our insurance company say, we do not want to get involved in that situation, and we have to follow what they say.
“The other thing is, employees are one of the most important things we’ve got going for us. Without our employees, we are nothing. Our employees are so important, we’ve got to do everything we can do to keep them happy and keep good employees…
“…And I might mention, wastewater is a super important thing for us. In fact, I would suggest that you drop by and get a copy of the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation financial statements.”
A this point, he hefted a bound copy of the statements, for the audience to view.
“And the reason I say that, if you turn to page 5, it says right here — at the end of 2022, the wastewater fund had a net position of $26 million dollars. That’s a lot of money…”
[I believe the net position includes the current value of all the wastewater infrastructure in which PAWSD has invested since the 1970s, minus the debt still owed.]
“In fact, this wastewater treatment plant we have here [at Lyn Avenue] — the EPA and the state of Colorado are going to make us spend maybe up to $50 million on upgrades. So wastewater is just as important as our other concerns.
“I might mention, also, that you’re talking about the housing deal. What we’re talking about at the moment is pads. Pads for RVs. We’re not talking about big houses. We might talk about some temporary housing, but we’ve had people we tried to hire, the past few years, who couldn’t find housing. Just like everybody else who’s looking for employees.
“We’ve got the opportunity, now — we’re spending $40 million on the new Snowball [drinking water treatment] Plant. Okay, the company that’s building that, has got to have housing for its employees… We’ve got the opportunity for them to come in [to the Running Iron Ranch] and put in some of these RV pads, that won’t cost PAWSD a penny. And it will save us money.”
[“Us” being, ultimately, the PAWSD customers.]
“That’s a big deal. We’ve got to save every penny we can. You mentioned in your letter that we ought to stick to what we do. Well, one of the things we’re not going to do is get into the recreation business. And Archuleta County is not in the recreation business.
“But it’s good that you talk about these things, because people get the wrong ideas about some of this stuff. We’ve got to all be on the same page.
“As far as the Dry Gulch agreement, PAWSD spends $260,000 a year paying off the loan [for the purchase of the Running Iron Ranch]. The San Juan Water Conservancy District — if I’m not wrong — you haven’t paid anything. Except in 2011, y’all paid $20,000 in interest payments. That’s not very much, compared to when we’re paying $260,000 a year. So that’s something you need to look at, too.
“But I’m glad you brought these issues up. It gives the people a chance to understand what’s really going on, with PAWSD. And our employees are so important…”
SJWCD President Al Pfister was present in the audience during the meeting, and President Smith allowed him to respond in defense of the SJWCD proposal to use the 20 acre parcel as a recreation site. Mr. Pfister felt this issue has shown a “lack of coordination” between two tax-funded districts that are, in Mr. Pfister’s view, “tenants-in-common” on the ownership of the Running Iron Ranch.